Why Malala's bravery inspires us

By Julia Fine, Special to CNN

Updated 1717 GMT (0017 HKT) October 10, 2013

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Malala Yousafzai poses on stage in Birmingham, England, after she was announced as a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, October 10. Two years ago, the 17-year-old was shot in the head by the Taliban for her efforts to promote education for girls in Pakistan. Since then, after recovering from surgery, she has taken her campaign to the world stage.

Hide Caption

1 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Malala and her family visit the United Nations headquarters in New York before meeting with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in August.

Hide Caption

2 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Malala speaks during the Commonwealth Day observance service Monday, March 10, at Westminster Abbey in London. Malala has lived in Britain since the Taliban attack.

Malala Yousafzai – Malala gives a copy of her book to Britain's Queen Elizabeth II during a reception at Buckingham Palace in October 2013.

Hide Caption

5 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Malala addresses students and faculty of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, after receiving the Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award in September 2013.

Hide Caption

6 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Queen Rania of Jordan presents Malala with the Leadership in Civil Society Award at the Clinton Global Citizen Awards ceremony in New York in September 2013.

Hide Caption

7 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Musician Bono, right, and Salil Shetty, the secretary general of Amnesty International, honor Malala with the Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award at the Manison House in Dublin, Ireland, in September 2013. The award is Amnesty International's highest honor, recognizing individuals who have promoted and enhanced the cause of human rights.

Hide Caption

8 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Malala receives a trophy from Yemeni civil rights activist Tawakkol Karman after being honored with the International Children's Peace Prize in The Hague, Netherlands, in September 2013. Karman was one of the Nobel Peace Prize winners in 2011.

Hide Caption

9 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Malala receives the 25th International Prize of Catalonia in July 2013 in Barcelona, Spain. The award recognizes those who have contributed to the development of cultural, scientific and human values around the world.

Hide Caption

10 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Malala is applauded before she speaks at the United Nations Youth Assembly in New York on July 12, 2013, her 16th birthday. "They thought that the bullets would silence us, but they failed," she said. "And then, out of that silence, came thousands of voices."

Hide Caption

11 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Malala was one of seven people featured on the cover of Time magazine's 100 most influential people edition in April 2013.

Hide Caption

12 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Malala returns to school at Edgbaston High School for Girls in Birmingham, England, on March 19, 2013. She said she had "achieved her dream."

Hide Caption

13 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Malala recovers after receiving treatment at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on October 19, 2012. Doctors covered the large hole in her skull with a titanium plate. The teen suffered no major brain or nerve damage, and she even kept the piece of her skull that was removed as a souvenir of her fight.

Hide Caption

14 of 15

Photos: Malala Yousafzai15 photos

Malala Yousafzai – Pakistani hospital workers carry Malala on a stretcher on October 9, 2012, after she was shot in the head and neck by the Taliban in Mingora, Pakistan.

Hide Caption

15 of 15

Story highlights

Julia Fine submitted the winning entry in a CNN contest about Malala Yousufzai

Fine: Malala, in her bravery, is a huge inspiration to her and so many other girls

She says Malala is a hero who brought attention to education and empowers kids

As a teenager, it's easy to feel lost, to get swallowed up into the mob mentality and lose your voice. We've all been victim to that; anyone who says they haven't is either lying or under the age of 13 years. And so when a teenage girl undertakes such an incredible task of courage, one adults cower in fear of doing, the event takes on utmost significance. This is exactly what Malala Yousafzai, a huge inspiration to me and so many other girls, did.

Malala stood up for herself, for her education and for her fundamental rights when confronted by a fearsome terrorist group. Malala has created a chain reaction all around the world, bringing change, light and hope to girls across all continents.

Being teenage girls in the United States, so many times, we forget the opportunities we have been given. We roll our eyes and joke about dropping out of school, a right we take for granted in this country. I don't know if I speak for all girls when I say this, but I know for me that after hearing about Malala's fight for education, I cannot take mine so lightly any longer.

I plan to continue my education so that I can fight for those who cannot. Malala has inspired me to study politics, gender studies, social justice and peace so that I am equipped with the tools I need to help others, the tools so many girls are not given.

But Malala has inspired more than just my own education; she has inspired my entire outlook and goals.

After I first learned of Malala, I couldn't stop thinking about her. Yes, I was more serious about my education and understood its importance now, but I wanted to become an activist and do something. I became co-president of my school's club School Girls Unite, a group that sponsors the education of 66 girls in Mali and lobbies Congress annually to increase foreign aid for education. I also became involved with the International Day of the Girl Child as the Day of the Girl U.S. youth outreach coordinator so I could speak to more girls about issues like education.

The world's 'other Malalas' 6 photos

The world's 'other Malalas'6 photos

The world's 'other Malalas' – All Malala Yousafzai wanted was an education for herself and other young girls in Pakistan and despite threats from the Taliban, she continued to go to school. When it was clear that Malala wouldn't back down to increasing intimidation, the Taliban shot her in the head.

It's the story of the young girl that captured the hearts of so many across the world. But she is not alone. We meet five other female campaigners from across the globe. These are all inspirational young women who have overcome poverty and hardship and are passionate about giving something back to their communities.

Hide Caption

1 of 6

The world's 'other Malalas'6 photos

The world's 'other Malalas' – Urmila, 22, comes from a family of bonded farmers in Nepal and was sold as a child servant, known as a Kamalari, at the age of 6. After she was freed 11 years later, Urmila started school with the help of non-governmental organizations and began fighting for the rights of Kalamari girls, a campaign that has taken her to meet Nepal's president and prime minister. Urmila will be presented with a Youth Courage Award for Education by the U.N. special envoy for global education on Friday, July 12.

Hide Caption

2 of 6

The world's 'other Malalas'6 photos

The world's 'other Malalas' – Fatmata, an 18-year-old high school student from rural Sierra Leone, became passionate about issues from child marriage to domestic violence and street children after taking part in Plan International's Girls Making Media project.

She now presents a program on a local community radio station and has given talks at her school on corporal punishment and gender-based violence in schools.

Fatmata recently shared her story and ideas at the 56th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

Hide Caption

3 of 6

The world's 'other Malalas'6 photos

The world's 'other Malalas' – Parvati Pujari, 22, grew up in a Mumbai shantytown and saw her eldest sister get married at the age of 12. With the help of a local non-governmental organization, Parvati attended school and resisted her parents' plans for an early marriage.With a flair for sports, Parvati started working in junior sports development for Magic Bus, an organization that had supported her since she was a child, while studying for a degree in commerce. She also participates in sports such as rugby at national level and for local football teams.

Hide Caption

4 of 6

The world's 'other Malalas'6 photos

The world's 'other Malalas' – Marcela, 17, is determined to break the cycle of discrimination against girls in her community near El Salvador's capital, San Salvador. She has joined a project, Cultura de Paz, aiming to raise awareness of social issues and challenges among her community's youth.Another project close to Marcela's heart is VOCES, through which she shares information on the rights of children via radio and video.

Hide Caption

5 of 6

The world's 'other Malalas'6 photos

The world's 'other Malalas' – As a secondary school student in rural Cameroon, Fabiola, 19, became a member of Plan Cameroon's Youth Empowerment through Technology, Arts and Media project, producing youth media to raise awareness around gender issues and help girls' access their rights.

In 2011, she participated in the 55th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women and was inspired to establish Girls on the Front (G-Front), an association that aims to ensure girls have more opportunities to promote and defend their rights locally, nationally and internationally.

Hide Caption

6 of 6

EXPAND GALLERY

I have heard some people say that Malala is a mere poster child for Western ideals of education, but that could not be further from the truth; Malala is the hero who created the domino effect of change, bringing attention and empowering girls and boys alike to act on this issue.

Just Watched

Taliban pen letter to Malala

It may sound corny, but I assure you that it is true: I believe that Malala has changed the course of my life, and I only hope that through activism around the world, other girls will have their lives changed as well.

Thank you, Malala. Thank you for your bravery, your passion and your heroism. You inspire me and so many other girls so much, and what you do is incredible. You go, girl!